Can curry really be beneficial for cancer?

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMay 8 2012

A chemical found in curry called Curcumin, is to be tested for its ability to kill bowel cancer tumours in patients.

Curcumin is found in the spice turmeric has been linked to a range of health benefits. Studies have already shown that it can beat cancer cells grown in a laboratory and benefits have been suggested in stroke and dementia patients as well. Cucurmin, which acts as an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties, has traditionally been used as an alternative remedy for liver disease, digestive disorders, acne and a range of allergies. Some studies have shown it may slow the spread of cancer, boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy and protect healthy cells from the effects of radiotherapy.

Now a new two-year trial, conducted by scientists from Cancer Research UK and the University of Leicester, is being planned at hospitals in Leicester. The researchers would administer curcumin alongside chemotherapy drugs. Forty patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General Hospital will take part in the trial, which will compare the effects of giving curcumin pills seven days before starting standard chemotherapy treatment.

About 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year. If the disease spreads around the body, patients are normally given a combination of three chemotherapy drugs. Patients with advanced bowel cancer are normally given a treatment called FOLFOX which combines three chemotherapy drugs. But many - between 40% and 60% - do not respond to the therapy, and those who do may suffer side effects such as tingling and nerve pain.

Prof William Steward, who is leading the study, said animal tests combining the two were “100 times better” than either on their own and that had been the “major justification for cracking on” with the trial. He said, “Once bowel cancer has spread it is very difficult to treat, partly because the side effects of chemotherapy can limit how long patients can have treatment. The prospect that curcumin might increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy is exciting because it could mean giving lower doses, so patients have fewer side effects and can keep having treatment for longer. This research is at a very early stage, but investigating the potential of plant chemicals to treat cancer is an intriguing area that we hope could provide clues to developing new drugs in the future.”

Joanna Reynolds, from Cancer Research UK, said, “By doing a clinical trial like this, we will find out more about the potential benefits of taking large amounts of curcumin, as well as any possible side effects this could have for cancer patients.”